Midwives will walk off the job this morning in a bid to deliver a strong, health message about their pay and work conditions.
Members of the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (Meras) in Dunedin will begin their eight-hour strike at 11am, by gathering outside Dunedin Hospital’s main entrance, before marching to the Octagon, where they will take part in protest action at noon.
Meras representative Michelle Archer said there was a national shortage of midwives.
"There’s a staffing crisis, so we really need midwives to be paid more so that we can reclaim those who are leaving the profession in droves."
She said the profession had become too stressful and it did not pay enough.
"For instance, a sonographer can get $40,000 more a year, and they don’t deal with life-and-death situations.
"We’re dealing with acute emergencies on a daily basis.
"We’re very concerned about staffing levels. The quality and safety of care is really important to us, and at the moment that’s borderline because there’s a shortage of midwives.
"We’re hoping this [action] will bring the negotiators back to the mediation table with a better offer, because we want to retain midwives and attract people to midwifery."
Meras members from the Northland DHB and the three Auckland DHBs will also strike today, and other DHBs will strike over the next three days, culminating in a rally at Parliament on Thursday.
The union, which represents about 1500 DHB-employed midwives, has also issued a strike notice for a further 12-hour strike (8am-8pm) on August 19.
SDHB chief nursing and midwifery officer Jane Wilson said maternity, ante-natal and post-natal services would continue to be available at SDHB hospitals during the planned action.
She said the strike included some members employed by the SDHB, but it did not include other lead maternity carers (LMC), such as community LMC midwives, who would continue to provide care and carry out duties as usual.
"Southern DHB has been planning for this strike, with the safety of women and babies as our priority.
"Appropriate support and rostering is in place to minimise disruption as much as possible, and to ensure women, babies and their whanau are supported and cared for in our hospitals during this period."
She said new or expectant mothers who had any questions or concerns should contact their LMC, midwife, obstetrician or GP.
"If you are in labour, contact your LMC or follow the advice you have been given. As always, in an emergency, call 111."
Any regularly scheduled appointments, treatments or clinics would continue today, unless patients had been told otherwise, she said.
